The term “Manufacturing Consent” was coined by Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Herman to describe the use of propaganda models in the world for political gain. Altering media to reflect the intentions of political groups has been seen throughout history by many nations and political groups. Public opinion is shaped by multiple different groups to impact the decision-making of others throughout the world and provide information to the public about current events and news.
The propaganda model is outlined by five filters of influence, including media ownership, advertising revenue, flak, government sourcing/funding, and ideological framework. These filters shape how and what media can be presented to the public and will often cause changes to be made to pieces of media to fit the mold of the propaganda model.
An example of the propaganda model being used today to modify and ensure that the media matches desired opinions is news outlets using sources from government outlets and large, powerful corporations. Doing so allows for these large influences to ensure that media stories reflect what they want to be seen as in the media.
The Daily Omnivore. (2012). Manufacturing Consent. [online] Available at: https://thedailyomnivore.net/2012/10/09/manufacturing-consent/ [Accessed 12 Dec. 2025].
BBC (2019). How was propaganda used in World War One? [online] BBC Bitesize. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zhw3jhv.
